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Attacks against Vietnamese rising in Cambodia

Amid protest crackdowns in Cambodia, people of Vietnamese heritage have been targeted with a recent rise in racist attacks prompting alarm from human rights groups and the United Nations.

Transcript

JIM MIDDLETON, PRESENTER: Internal politics in Cambodia remain volatile, with prime minister Hun Sen facing his stiffest opposition since coming to power almost 30 years ago. Amid the government crackdown, another category of victim has emerged - people of Vietnamese heritage - with a recent rise in racist attacks prompting alarm from human rights groups,and even the United Nations. James Oaten reports.

JAMES OATEN, REPORTER: Cambodia's anti-Government movement has been met with fierce resistance in recent months. Police using riot gear and cattle prods to disperse crowds. Anti-government sentiment has never been stronger. Almost three decades since Prime Minister Hun Sen came to power. Their demands - higher wages, media freedom and land reform. But among the chaos another target has emerged for protesters.

Sok Minh runs a cafe on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. He hasn't been involved in the recent unrest, preferring to concentrate on his small business. But that changed in January when rioters stormed his shop chanting 'Yuon', a derogatory term used against the Vietnamese community.

SOK MINH,CAFÉ OWNER (translation): When they came in they said they must destroy the Yuon's shop.

JAMES OATEN: Sok was not at the cafe at the time of his attack but his Khmer staff member was.

CHHORN CHANTHY, CAFÉ WORKER (translation): When they came in they destroyed everything with stones. Three of us went to hide in the room. After a while I came out and pleaded with them that I'm Khmer, don't beat me.

SOK MINH (translation): I'm just an ordinary businessman. I don't pick fights with anyone. I never make anyone angry with me. Now this. Now they've destroyed my shop. I've lost everything.

JAMES OATEN: Anecdotal evidence suggests anti-Vietnamese sentiment has been on the rise for several years. Cambodia has a contentious history of land grabs and deforestation resulting in communities being displaced with little, to no compensation. Much of the land is converted into rubber plantations. And the company that's benefitted the most is the state-owned Vietnam Rubber Group which owns at least 130,000 hectares, 13 times the legal limit. It's an issue of great concern to Cambodia's opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, who accuses the Hun Sen administration of selling out the country's interests.

SAM RAINSY, OPPOSITION LEADER: We are concerned about de-forestation, about farmers losing their farmland, losing their livelihoods.

JAMES OATEN: But in his criticism of the Vietnamese companies, many say that Mr Rainsy has overstepped the mark.

VIRAK OU, CAMBODIAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: If you look at the past six, seven years through that economic land concession, many of the Cambodian local people has been victimised by the scheme. Those are legitimate human rights political issues, but I think because of race and anti-Vietnamese sentiment is high, the opposition just takes the most convenient position.

JAMES OATEN: The issue has prompted a strong rebuke from the United Nations special rapporteur, Professor Surya Subedi.

PROF. SURYA SUBEDI, UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR: Cambodians citizens of Vietnamese origin came to see me with their own grievances, saying they feel a bit insecure and they feel racially harassed.

JAMES OATEN: Professor Subedi says he's received a direct apology from Mr Rainsy. But while satisfied with the response, it isn't the end of the matter.

PROF. SURYA SUBEDI: I think it will need to be further scrutinised and closely monitored.

SAM RAINSY: There has been a lot of misunderstanding, some of my statements have been quoted out of their context. I think that people will understand the position of Cambodian patriots.

JAMES OATEN: Some of the victims of the alleged racist attacks have openly discussed their experiences, but many are still too afraid to speak. This 27-year-old asked to remain anonymous, fearing retribution if her ethnic heritage was discovered.

FEMALE (translation): Only Sam Rainsy and his supporters dislike the Vietnamese. They always provoke among their supporters that Vietnamese invade their country.

VIRAK OU: By referring to them as Yuon and wanting to chase them out from the country, claiming that they are the culprits of all of the evil in this country, I think that's unfairly targeting the ethnic group.